〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ

[〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ @vindiceserrater]

@passerbyerluck 〚⚔️〛Hm.

... Thank you for telling me.

(... Again, his brow furrows, as he thinks.)

... To be honest... It still scares me sometimes, too.

[〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ @vindiceserrater]

@passerbyerluck 〚🗡〛You've seen me /worse/, Orien.

(Ryker sighs.)

I'm not a child. I can take care of you, too, you know.

[〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ @vindiceserrater]

@passerbyerluck 〚🗡〛Sorry to wake you. You...

(... How does he...)

... Didn't seem like you were... having a good rest.

(His ears droop, ever slightly.)

I- uh... Can I help? Somehow?

[〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ @vindiceserrater]

@passerbyerluck 〚⚔️〛(Now he's just being stubborn.)

Bite him.

[No. I'm not some dog. Do it yourself.]

(Gremor's tail flicks, and Ryker sighs- shaking Orien one last time.)

Brother.

[〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ @vindiceserrater]

@passerbyerluck 〚🗡〛(Ryker frowns- and, again, shakes him.)

You can sleep in later. Wake up. Or...

(He glances at Gremor-)

Or else Gremor will bite you.

[Huh..?] (The tiny dragon seems flabbergasted by the suggestion.)

[〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ @vindiceserrater]

@passerbyerluck (His tone is... As rough as it normally is, Gremor blinking awake by his feet as well.)

Hey. Wake up.

[〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ @vindiceserrater]

@passerbyerluck (Ryker frowns. He's... Not the sort who does this. It's Orien who usually does it. How does...)

(He puts a hand on Orien's shoulder- and shakes. Not too hard- or, at least, he thinks and hopes it's not too hard.)

Brother. Orien.-

[〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ @vindiceserrater]

@passerbyerluck 〚⚔️〛Why. Do you want to check.

[〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ @vindiceserrater]

@passerbyerluck @EmpyrianDiva @strifetrigger 〚⚔️〛I- I'm s-sorry-

(His voice breaks. The tough exterior he had spent so, so long trying to build, the dam over his emotions- it all crumbled in an instant.)

(He was merely a sobbing child again.)

[〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ @vindiceserrater]

@passerbyerluck @EmpyrianDiva @strifetrigger (And all this would have done would be forcing him to bury another body. To rip away something from him again.)

(It clicks.)

(Tears start running from his eyes- his body starts shaking.)

W-what... what am I doing...?

Goddess- what the fuck am I doing..?

[〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ @vindiceserrater]

@passerbyerluck @EmpyrianDiva @strifetrigger 〚⚔️〛W-what? N-no, I-

(What *would* he have done?)

(What would it have proven?)

(By the expression on his face- his own lack of hindsight was kicking in.)

D-died..?

(Orien had already buried their parents. Despite all of their years apart, Orien did so, so much for him.)-

[〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ @vindiceserrater]

@strifetrigger @passerbyerluck @EmpyrianDiva 〚⚔️〛(His ears jolt up- he can finally move his body again. Ivan, he expects, but-)

O-Orien?

[〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ @vindiceserrater]

i already have enough wrong with me as is

[Andrea @EmpyrianDiva]

When you unintentionally use your vampiric powers of suggestion on a mentally ill teenage boy 😔

[〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ @vindiceserrater]

@EmpyrianDiva (And yet- here he was. Trying to stab one of those reaching hands because he couldn’t accept it. Because, deep down- he's scared.)

(Scared not just of losing, but of letting himself be comfortable. Of letting others care for him.)

(The knife falls from his hands.)

[〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ @vindiceserrater]

@EmpyrianDiva 〚⚔️〛(... The people that cared for him...)

(It's been so, so long- since he allowed himself to rely on other people. Since people have shown him kindness.)

(And yet, he's still on guard- still trying to make sure nothing gets close, so that he won't be hurt.)-

[〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ @vindiceserrater]

@EmpyrianDiva 〚⚔️〛(He grimaces at the mention. Some would call such power a blessing, but to him- it was merely a *reminder*.)

But for her- for once, he considers. The paralyzation, as if on command, the scarlet in her eye...)

Why is it that we're so alike, and yet...

[〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ @vindiceserrater]

@EmpyrianDiva 〚⚔️〛I don't want to *hear* it!

(Growling, like a rabid beast- attempting to move no matter how futile it may be.)

It's not about what we *want*! I- I didn't want this!

[〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ @vindiceserrater]

@EmpyrianDiva 〚⚔️〛[ just S T O P ! ]

(Between the rabid stabs and slashes, Ryker's body suddenly comes to a complete and utter halt. He grunts, as if trying to *make* himself move, but-)

W-what the hell did you do?

[〚⚔️〛ʀʏᴋᴇʀ @vindiceserrater]

@EmpyrianDiva 〚⚔️〛(A look in his eyes- and you can tell where his choice lies. Filled with fear. The dread of someone who has lost too much, and can't bear to lose anything else.)

The only future where I find peace- will be one when Omega-1 is D E A D!

(While off guard, he rushes forth.)